Here is something too few writers know: there are residencies that will not only give you a room and time to write, but will actually pay you to be there. A stipend matters so much, because most of us can’t simply stop earning for a month, and that money can cover groceries, the bills at home or a babysitter while you’re away. These are the best paid opportunities on our list, with the amounts written out plainly so you can compare them side by side.
Last checked November 2026. Deadlines and fees change every year, so always confirm on the official site before you apply.
Fine Arts Work Center Writing Fellowship
- Where: Provincetown, Massachusetts
- Deadline: December 15, 2026, for 2027–28. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $40–65, depending on when you apply
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free apartment, $1,250 a month and a $1,000 exit stipend, plus an access fund of $500–2,500
- Length: Seven months
- Who it’s for: Poets and fiction writers who haven’t published a full-length book
- What they look for: Anonymous samples, judged by genre juries
Fondation Jan Michalski
- Where: Montricher, Switzerland
- Deadline: Expect a June–August 2027 window for 2028. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: Free
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free cabin, CHF 400 a week and travel from your home
- Length: Two weeks to three months
- Who it’s for: Writers and translators of any age or nationality
- What they look for: Literary quality and a stay length that fits the project
MacDowell Fellowship
- Where: Peterborough, New Hampshire
- Deadline: January 19 to February 10, 2027, for September 2027 to February 2028. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: There is a fee (the amount wasn’t listed on the page we checked)
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with need-based stipends up to $2,500 for lost income, rent, travel or childcare
- Length: Up to two months
- Who it’s for: Emerging and established writers from any country
- What they look for: Artistic excellence
The Dora Maar House
- Where: Ménerbes, Provence, France
- Deadline: One cycle a year, March 15 to October 15, 2027, for 2028. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $25
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with $1,500 and a travel award
- Length: About one month
- Who it’s for: Mid-career and established writers
- What they look for: A strong project, independence and some French
Ucross Foundation Residency
- Where: Northern Wyoming
- Deadline: January 15, 2027, for Fall 2027. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $40 (free for Native American Writers fellowships)
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with a $1,500 travel stipend (Native American fellows get $2,000 more)
- Length: Two to six weeks
- Who it’s for: Emerging and established writers, open internationally
- What they look for: Professional standing and quality of work
Trillium Arts “Miss Sarah” Fellowship for Black Women Writers
- Where: Mars Hill and Asheville, North Carolina
- Deadline: November 19, 2026, for July 2027. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: Free
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with $1,000, a rental car and US travel
- Length: Ten days
- Who it’s for: Black women writers (nonfiction for 2027)
- What they look for: A clear proposal and a 10–15 page sample
Ragdale Fellowships
- Where: Lake Forest, Illinois
- Deadline: May 14, 2027, for 2028. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $35, with waivers
- Cost to attend / stipend: Fellows stay free with at least $1,000 (others pay a sliding scale)
- Length: 18 days
- Who it’s for: Emerging and established writers
- What they look for: “Original, inventive and exciting work”
Write On, Door County: Lorine Niedecker Fellowship
- Where: Door County, Wisconsin
- Deadline: December 15, 2026, for May 2027. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $40
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with $1,000, up to $800 for travel and $200 for food
- Length: Two weeks
- Who it’s for: Poets with a publishing history
- What they look for: The poetics of place
Thoughts so far? Leave a thought
Green Box Arts
- Where: Green Mountain Falls, Colorado
- Deadline: Expect a September 2027 call. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: Free
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free apartment and a “generous stipend” (the amount isn’t published)
- Length: About one month
- Who it’s for: Artists anywhere, so confirm writers are eligible that year
- What they look for: Your direction, and community engagement
The Hambidge Center: Distinguished Fellowships
- Where: Rabun Gap, Georgia
- Deadline: January 15, 2027 (then April 15 and September 15). Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $30
- Cost to attend / stipend: Distinguished Fellows get a free two-week stay and $700
- Length: Two weeks
- Who it’s for: Emerging to established writers
- What they look for: Strong samples and professional promise
KHN Center for the Arts
- Where: Nebraska City, Nebraska
- Deadline: March 1, 2027 (and September 1). Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $35
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with $175 a week for food
- Length: Two to eight weeks
- Who it’s for: US and international writers
- What they look for: Strong anonymous samples and a clear purpose
The Kerouac Project
- Where: Orlando, Florida
- Deadline: Expect a February–April 2027 window. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $50
- Cost to attend / stipend: The whole house free, with a $600 food stipend
- Length: About four to seven weeks
- Who it’s for: Writers from anywhere
- What they look for: A project that needs focused time
The Mastheads
- Where: Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Deadline: No 2027 call yet, and past calls opened in late winter or spring. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: Not yet posted
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with $600 and travel reimbursement
- Length: Three weeks
- Who it’s for: Writers in any genre
- What they look for: A response to Pittsfield’s literary history
The Mount: Edith Wharton Writing Residency
- Where: Lenox, Massachusetts
- Deadline: Expect a September 2027 window. Check the site, dates change yearly.
- Cost to apply: $25, waived for hardship
- Cost to attend / stipend: Free, with $500 and up to $250 for travel
- Length: One week
- Who it’s for: Emerging writers with no more than one book
- What they look for: A clear purpose and a strong sample
Being paid to write is not a fantasy, delighters, and it isn’t reserved for other people. Every year, real writers who were nervous about their samples open emails that say yes, and I want one of those emails to be yours. Pick the two that fit your work best, and give them your very best pages.
What would a paid month of writing time mean for your book right now?
Did this one delight you? Tap the heart.
Did this one stay with you? I’d love to hear what you think.
Leave a thought
